The moment Herald’s hand touched her tear-stained cheek, the tears that had been precariously clinging to her eyes fell onto his hand.
‘What am I doing now.’
Herald, finally coming to his senses, lowered his hand with a soft scoff. He felt ashamed and perplexed for trying to touch a woman who was too drunk to think straight. Lily was the first woman to make him feel this way just by making eye contact.
‘Is it because I’ve been abstinent for so long?’
It wasn’t that he wanted to be abstinent, but circumstances had forced him to be. Herald wanted to end things after one night, but all the women he had been with wanted more than that.
He had thought about having a serious relationship, but there was no woman he liked that much. Also, he was planning to leave the capital soon for the distant and dangerous border region, so he couldn’t be in a relationship.
It’s not like he was particularly interested in women anyway.
So he thought it would be fine to live like this, but seeing how he reacted to such a small stimulus, it seems that was a misconception.
If I don’t resolve this quickly, I might end up doing something foolish.
For that reason, thinking he shouldn’t stay close to Lily, Herald tried to stand up, but Lily grabbed his arm.
And looking at Herald with those captivating, hazy eyes, she asked.
“Is it really… not my fault?”
It was a continuation of their earlier conversation. Herald nodded with a wry smile.
“It’s not the lady’s fault.”
“Really? Is it really not my fault?”
Just how many times did he have to confirm it for her to believe?
That was annoying, but her continued use of informal speech also grated on him.
“Yes. It’s not your fault.”
Well, if she’s speaking informally, I might as well do the same. It feels a bit unfair to be the only one using polite speech.
“I see. It’s not my fault.”
Lily finally smiled with relief, then mumbled while clasping her hands tightly.
“That’s right. It’s not my fault. Even if I did something wrong… it’s not as bad as that man. It’s all Fredic Benjamin’s fault, that bastard.”
Lily spoke while glaring at the empty air as if Fredic was right in front of her.
“You think you’re so great?”
Words that could never be spoken in a sober state came out with the help of alcohol.
“Always staying out overnight to be someone else’s kept man… And then you say you think of me as your wife? Don’t make me laugh. You should at least come up with a more believable lie if you want me to pretend to believe you!”
Her voice, filled with anger, echoed loudly throughout the suite. She shouted so loudly that Herald’s eardrums felt slightly muffled.
It must mean she had a lot pent up. Herald recalled the epithets attached to Lily in social circles and immediately understood why she was acting this way.
“If you’re so upset, why don’t you get a lover too?”
At the same time, feeling sorry for Lily, he offered a suitable solution. Lily laughed incredulously in response.
“Me, get a lover? How?”
Do I have to explain even that? This time, Herald laughed wryly.
“Someone like me… who would like me?”
“What’s wrong with you? You’re plenty attractive.”
“…You’re the first person to say that to me.”
Herald laughed.
“Everyone else must be blind then.”
It wasn’t just flattery, but sincere. Herald truly thought Lily was attractive. It’s just that she wasn’t his type.
“…”
At his scathing yet honest assessment, Lily’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s before returning to their original size. After carefully examining Herald’s handsome face, Lily reached out the hand she had neatly placed on her knee and grabbed Herald’s arm.
“Then… will you be my lover?”
Asking him to be her lover.
Faced with this unexpected proposal, Herald looked at Lily with disbelief.
“…”
On the other hand, Lily’s expression was serious. There wasn’t a hint of playfulness to be found.
That meant she was that sincere, which made Herald even more dumbfounded. Until now, no one had ever spouted such nonsense as asking him to be their lover.
Of course, Lily didn’t know that Herald was the second son of the Duke of Maximilian, so she could say such things, but it still didn’t feel good.
…No, is it really not good?
With other women, just hearing a request for a single meeting would make his irritation soar, but not now. Even though he had heard an even more outrageous request, he wasn’t particularly angry.
Just a little dumbfounded.
“I guess… you don’t want to?”
When Herald remained silent without saying anything, Lily drooped her head dejectedly. Seeing her slumped shoulders made him want to hug her.
Before the thought could even finish, his arms moved. Belatedly realizing that he had embraced Lily, Herald startled and pushed her away.
“…”
Lily also looked surprised, but there was expectation in her gaze. Her sparkling, fresh green eyes captivated him in a different way.
As his desire, which had gradually grown enormous under repeated temptation, devoured his reason, his body moved on its own.
Herald inserted his hand into Lily’s disheveled hair and kissed her. Seemingly startled by the sudden kiss, Lily flinched, but soon closed her eyes tightly as if giving permission and entrusted everything to him.
Lily’s actions acted as a catalyst, fueling Herald’s desire. Having been abstinent for so long, his unleashed desire grew endlessly once it burst forth.
The sound of saliva entangling wetly echoed widely in the dim hotel room. Herald’s lips, which had been persistently exploring her lips as if to devour her whole, traced down her neck.
Just as his lips, glistening with saliva of unknown origin, touched her protruding collarbone, Lily’s head bumped against Herald’s shoulder.
“…”
Thanks to this, Herald, whose reason had momentarily returned, looked down at Lily’s face. The fresh green eyes that had been there were now hidden behind her eyelids. Her chest rose and fell regularly, and the sound of gentle breathing spread evenly.
Don’t tell me she’s fallen asleep after shaking my heart like this.
Herald couldn’t believe it and gently shook Lily’s shoulder, but her long eyelashes didn’t move at all.
“Ha.”
What an unbelievable situation. Herald ran his hand through his disheveled hair with a wry laugh.
It was absurd, but in a way, it was for the best. Thanks to this, his rampaging desire had calmed down. If not for this, he would have gone all the way.
Taking a deep breath to completely suppress his remaining desire, Herald moved Lily, who had fallen into a deep sleep, to the bed and noticed the wounds on her palm and elbow. Blood was seeping out a little from the wounds that seemed to have been scraped against something.
When did she get hurt? Herald frowned as he examined the wounds and then pulled the bell cord next to the bed.
Knock knock―
A moment later, the hotel staff dedicated to the suite knocked on the door.
“Do you need anything?”
“I need some medicine for wounds.”
Surprised at the mention of wounds, the staff member asked back.
“Are you injured? Should I call for a physician?”
Herald thought for a moment and then shook his head.
“A physician isn’t necessary, just some medicine for wounds will do.”
“Understood. I’ll bring it right away.”
When the staff brought the wound medicine, Herald went into the bathroom and soaked a clean towel in warm water.
Coming out of the bathroom again, Herald paused at the sight of clothes fallen on the floor.
“…”
No way. His wavering golden eyes slowly rolled to check the bed. He could see a thin, pale leg stretched out from under the blanket wrapped around her body.
As his desire, which had just calmed down, began to stir again, Herald hurriedly turned his head away. He never dreamed she would have undressed while he was preparing the wet towel to clean her wounds.
Not only does she have bad drinking habits, but she also has bad sleeping habits. Maybe this was also one of her drinking habits.
I should just treat her wounds quickly and leave.
Herald approached Lily, who was sleeping soundly, while constantly repeating to himself that he must endure. It was fortunate that she had covered more than half of her body with the blanket; otherwise, he would have left without looking back.
Herald carefully cleaned the wounds on her palm and elbow with the warm, wet towel. After wiping away the blood and examining the wounds closely, they seemed to have been scraped against something.
Such wounds usually occur when falling, so her legs might be injured too.
Sure enough, there were also wounds on her slightly exposed knees. Moreover, the knees were worse than the other areas.
“This needs to be shown to a physician.”
Herald was about to ask the hotel staff to call for a physician but stopped himself.
If he called for a physician now, the story that Herald Maximilian, the second son of the Duke of Maximilian, and Liliana Benjamin, the wife of Baron Benjamin, were together in a hotel room late at night might leak out.
Although Herald might not suffer much damage, it would be different for Lily. There would surely be gossip, and Lily would have a hard time, so instead of calling for a physician, Herald carefully applied the wound medicine.
“I should tell her to show it to a physician when she returns to the mansion tomorrow.”
It was questionable whether she would return to Baron Benjamin’s mansion tomorrow, given that she had done something akin to running away.
If not, he could just tell her to go see a physician herself.
While he was checking only her arms and legs that were exposed outside the blanket to see if there were any other injuries, Lily suddenly reached out and grasped his arm.
And as she tried to use his arm as a pillow, Herald looked at her face in bewilderment.
He wondered if she had woken up, but her eyes were still closed. Meanwhile, the corners of her mouth turned up smoothly as if satisfied, which annoyed Herald, so he lightly touched the corner of her mouth.
“Mmm.”
Lily mumbled as if sleep-talking and hugged his arm even tighter. The way she was holding onto it as if she would never let go made him feel a bit sorry for her. The clear tear stains under her eyes made her seem even more pitiful.
But he couldn’t just stay like this.
Herald tried to pull his arm away, but every time he did, Lily showed signs of waking up, so he eventually gave up.
If she woke up in this situation, especially if they faced each other sober, it would be quite uncomfortable for both of them.
I guess I’ll have to wait until she falls into a deep sleep and then pull away.
Herald leaned back against the headboard of the bed, hoping Lily would fall asleep quickly.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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